HELP WITH Mac mini SSD Upgrade

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-g Author

Level 4

3,263 points

HELP WITH Mac mini SSD Upgrade

Totally confused here ... I picked up a used Mac mini 2014 3.0GHz i7 with 1TB Flash SSD

I popped the bottom and confirmed the NVMe Blade looking PCIe hardware was present.

QUESTION:

I want to add a 2.5" SATA SSD in the bay below and connect it to SATA socket circled in red.

I bought this kit:

Is there a so-called empty drive sled below that will take this kit and mount the extra SSD?

Further, I presume I will be able to reformat both SSDs and use them separately?

Mac mini, macOS 10.13

Posted on May 22, 2021 8:44 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

den.thed

Level 10

82,528 points

May 22, 2021 9:22 PM in response to -g

-g wrote:

Part of what's confusing me is the above pictured 2014 MM main board (lower drive bay and SATA connector placement) looks different than my other 2014 MM that came with only a SATA HDD.

The ribbon cable goes thru the slot on the Fusion drive model.

Also, System Profiler> Hardware is listing the Flash PCIe SSD as SATA, not NVMExpress

Because that Flashed Based PCIe is connected to the Mac Mini's SATA Bus.

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Answer 2

-g Author

Level 4

3,263 points

May 22, 2021 8:54 PM in response to -g

Part of what's confusing me is the above pictured 2014 MM main board (lower drive bay and SATA connector placement) looks different than my other 2014 MM that came with only a SATA HDD.

Also, System Profiler> Hardware is listing the Flash PCIe SSD as SATA, not NVMExpress

This is the MM shown in the above pic:

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

82,528 points

May 22, 2021 9:23 PM in response to -g

-g wrote:

Is there a so-called empty drive sled below that will take this kit and mount the extra SSD?

No the drive tray and ribbon cable only came in the HDD and Fusion drive models.

Further, I presume I will be able to reformat both SSDs and use them separately?

Yes

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Answer 4

-g Author

Level 4

3,263 points

May 22, 2021 11:07 PM in response to den.thed

I haven't disassembled the SSD model pictured above (the one with the flash SSD hardware) - when I pull the main board out it will likely become clear - but you wrote I would be able to reformat both SSDs and use them separately

so I presume (again) my goal is possible - to install the SATA SSD and have two separate drives - I will just need to fit the SATA SSD in the bay and connect a ribbon cable to the main board

I can't find any tutorial on this - they all go the other way

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Answer 5

-g Author

Level 4

3,263 points

May 22, 2021 11:14 PM in response to den.thed

I see the slot (and the empty connection I circled in red on the above photo)

>> The ribbon cable goes thru the slot on the Fusion drive model.

Any reason why it won't do the same on this model if I add the parts (ribbon cable and SATA SSD)?

>> that Flashed Based PCIe is connected to the Mac Mini's SATA Bus.

Very useful info, it was throwing me off, my iMac 2017 lists its blade SSD NVMExpress

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Answer 6

May 23, 2021 9:21 AM in response to -g

Why not just buy and external SSD drive and save yourself

a whole heap of trouble and possibly damaging the Mini

(it basically needs to be completely disassembled so anything

can happen)?

FWIW, an SSD connected to the SATA interface will not be

all that much faster that an external USB 3 drive and if you spend

for a Thunderbolt drive it will be just as fast with a whole lot

less work.

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Answer 7

-g Author

Level 4

3,263 points

May 25, 2021 4:34 PM in response to -g

CONCLUSION:

The hardware was just what I expected, the 2TB SATA SSD dropped right in below the Flash SSD in its built in tray/sled, the cable kit worked like a charm - and I'm back to work.

Thanks to all who helped, I'll come back soon and mark one of you solved...

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